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MLB roundup: Altuve hits 3 HRs in Astros' victory
October 5, 2017

HOUSTON -- Jose Altuve recorded the 10th three-home run game in postseason history as the Houston Astros jumped on Cy Young Award contender Chris Sale for an 8-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday in Game 1 of their American League Division Series.

Altuve (3-for-4, three RBIs) became the first player in franchise history to homer three times in a postseason game, doing so twice off Sale (0-1). The All-Star second baseman followed a solo shot from Alex Bregman with a homer in the first inning before adding a two-out shot off Sale in the fifth and a leadoff blast against reliever Austin Maddox in the seventh.

After clubbing his first two homers to left-center field, Altuve pushed the lead to six runs with his blast to left in the seventh. Houston also got two-run base hits from Marwin Gonzalez and Brian McCann.

Justin Verlander (1-0) allowed two runs on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts in six innings for his eighth postseason victory. Sale (0-1) gave up seven runs and nine hits in five innings, walking one and striking out six.

Indians 4, Yankees 0

CLEVELAND -- Trevor Bauer pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings and combined with two relievers on a three-hitter, and Jay Bruce had a home run and three RBIs as Cleveland beat New York in Game 1 of their AL Division Series.

Bauer (1-0) did not give up a hit until Aaron Hicks doubled with one out in the sixth inning. The only other hit against Bauer was a single by Starlin Castro with two outs in the seventh. Bauer, who was a surprise choice by Indians manager Terry Francona to start Game 1 ahead of ace Corey Kluber, threw 98 pitches, striking out eight with one walk.

The Yankees' Aaron Judge, who led the American League with 52 home runs, was 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. Sonny Gray (0-1) pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up three runs and three hits with two strikeouts and four walks.

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MLB Playoff Record:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

10/05/2017 1-3-0 25.00% -10.50

10/04/2017 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

Total:...............2 - 4.........33.33%.....-11.00


Best Bets:......................ATS.................... ...TOTAL.....................TOTAL O/U

10/05/2017.................0 - 2.......................-10.00........................1 - 1........-0.50

10/04/2017.................1 - 0.......................+ 5.00........................0 - 1.......- 5.50


TOTAL:........................1 - 2.......................- 5.00.........................1 - 1.......- 6.00

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LEADING OFF: Altuve ascends, NLDS opens at Washington, LA
October 5, 2017

A look at what's happening around the majors Friday:

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IN FULL SWING

Jose Altuve is off to a smashing start in the playoffs, hitting three home runs in Houston's 8-2 romp over Boston in the AL Division Series opener. The 5-foot-6 star tries to boost the Astros in the best-of-five matchup when Dallas Keuchel faces Red Sox lefty Drew Pomeranz at Minute Maid Park. Altuve, who led the majors in batting at .346 this year, became just the 10th player to hit three homers in a postseason game.

THEY'RE BACK

Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and the World Series champion Chicago Cubs begin the playoffs when Kyle Hendricks faces Stephen Strasburg at Nationals Park. It remains to be seen how healthy Washington is - star slugger Bryce Harper returned slowly from a knee injury and there's still no definite word when Max Scherzer will pitch after hurting his hamstring last weekend.

START HIM UP

Clayton Kershaw is a three-time Cy Young Award winner, a five-time ERA champ and a seven-time All-Star. The lone blemish on his resume is his postseason mark - 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA in 18 games. The LA lefty opens the NL Division Series vs. Arizona at Dodger Stadium. Taijuan Walker will make his playoff debut for the Diamondbacks after ace Zack Greinke started and 15-game winner Robbie Ray relieved in the wild-card win Wednesday over Colorado.

THE KLUBBER

Indians ace Corey Kluber starts Game 2 of the ALDS against the Yankees at Progressive Field, a day after Cleveland won the opener 4-0. The right-hander was 4-1 with a 1.83 ERA in six postseason starts last year, then went 18-4 with a 2.25 ERA this season. Kluber went 2-0 during the regular season against New York, but didn't face slugger Aaron Judge, who was slumping both times the teams met. Judge struck out all four times Thursday after homering in the AL wild-card win.

CC Sabathia starts for the Yankees - he spent eight seasons with the Indians, who drafted him in 1998 as a 17-year-old.

SUBBING

Outfielder Chris Young joins the Red Sox roster after designated hitter Eduardo Nunez was carried off the field with a knee injury in Game 1. Nunez pulled up running to first base on a groundout in the first inning and fell to the ground. Nunez missed 19 of the last 20 regular-season games with what the team called a sore knee. Nunez was removed from the postseason roster and Young added in a switch approved by the commissioner's office.

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Friday’s six-pack

NFL trends to ponder with Week 5 upon us……..

— Cardinals are 3-12 vs spread in their last 15 games.

— Oakland is 11-25 in its last 36 games as a home favorite.

— Kansas City covered eight of its last nine games.

— Packers are 4-11 in last 15 games as an underdog.

— Carolina is 16-6 in its last 22 games as a road underdog.

— Giants covered 7 of last 9 games against AFC opponents.


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Friday’s List of 13: Things I’m looking for this weekend…….

13) Green Bay won six of last seven games vs Dallas, beating Cowboys in playoffs two of last three years; they won 37-36/34-31 in last two visits to Big D. 4:25 game on FOX will be a big one, mainly because Dallas is 2-2 after going 13-3 last season.

12) Miami-Florida State was rescheduled to here after the hurricanes last month; now there is the threat of more rain. Miami scored 83 points in winning its first two I-A games, but they’ve lost their last seven games with Florida State.

11) Bengals got their first win last week; they led by 2 TD’s at halftime in Green Bay the week before, but lost in overtime. Cincy needs to beat the 3-1 Bills here; they’re 6-2-1 in their last nine pre-bye games. Bills have allowed only 13.5 ppg in their 3-1 start.

10) LSU had some players-only meetings this week after their loss to Troy State; players-only meetings are not a good sign. Neither is the AD meeting with the coaches during the week. Florida lost one of its QB’s for the year LW; Gators won their first three SEC games despite nine their players still under suspensions. This should be a very interesting game.

9) Something has to give in Swamp Stadium, with 0-4 Chargers visiting 0-4 Giants. 14 years ago, the Chargers drafted Eli Manning, but Manning’s family didn’t want Eli playing for San Diego, so the Chargers traded him to New Jersey. Otherwise, Ben Roethlisberger would’ve likely become a Giant instead of a Steeler.

8) Utah is 4-0, but three of their next four games are against Stanford, USC, Oregon, so we’ll know everything we need to know about the Utes after that stretch.

7) Jets will be a surprising 3-2 if they can beat the winless Browns in Cleveland this week. Jets ran ball for 256 yards last week. Browns are -6 in turnovers already; they allowed 9.0/8.0 ypa in their last two games.

6) Michigan State is 7-2 in its last nine games with Michigan (9-0 vs spread); Wolverines’ defense has allowed 13.5 ppg, and they’ve played a decent schedule so far. This is first road game for the Spartans, who are 3-1— both teams are really young.

5) Seahawks-Rams is suddenly a big game with playoff implications in the NFC West. If the good guy— I mean, if the Rams win, they’ll be two games ahead of Seattle.

4) It’ll likely be a somber crowd in Las Vegas for the San Diego State-UNLV game, the first big outdoor event in Vegas since the shootings Sunday night. Aztecs are 5-0 and on a serious roll. UNLV is 2-2; this will be a great test for them.

3) Arizona won five of last six games with Philly, winning 40-17 in last visit here two years ago, but Cardinals are only 2-2 this year, with FG wins over Colts/49ers- shaky. Eagles won their last two games by a total of five points- this should be a good game.

2) Washington State won its last two games with Oregon, 52-33/45-38; they’ve covered their last seven games against the Ducks. This is Wazzu’s first true road game, coming off their emotional win over USC last week.

1) Chiefs are the only unbeaten team left in the NFL; short week for them here. KC won/covered their first four games, scoring 14 TD’s on 42 drives- they haven’t turned ball over in their last 3 games. Houston found itself a QB with rookie Watson- they scored 90 points in last two games.

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A capsule look at the Diamondbacks-Dodgers playoff series
October 5, 2017

A look at the best-of-five National League Division Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers:

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Schedule: (All times EDT) Game 1, Friday, at Los Angeles, 10:31 p.m.; Game 2, Saturday, at Los Angeles, 9:08 p.m.; Game 3, Monday, Oct. 9, at Arizona, TBA; x-Game 4, Tuesday, Oct. 10, at Arizona, TBA; x-Game 5, Thursday, Oct. 12, at Los Angeles, TBA. (All games on TBS).

x-if necessary.

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Season Series: Diamondbacks won 11-8.

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Projected Lineups:

Diamondbacks: LF David Peralta (.293, 14 HRs, 57 RBIs), SS Ketel Marte (.260, 5, 18 in 73 games), 1B Paul Goldschmidt (.297, 36, 120, 94 BBs, .966 OPS), RF J.D. Martinez (.303, 45, 104, 1.066 OPS with Tigers and Diamondbacks), 3B Jake Lamb (.248, 30, 105), CF A.J. Pollock (.266, 14, 49 in 112 games), 2B Daniel Descalso (.233, 10, 51 in 131 games) or Brandon Drury (.267, 13, 63, 37 doubles), C Chris Iannetta (.254, 17, 43, .354 OBP) or Jeff Mathis (.215, 2, 11 in 60 games).

Dodgers: CF Chris Taylor (.288, 21, 72, 17 SBs), SS Corey Seager (.295, 22, 77), 3B Justin Turner (.322, 21, 71, 56 Ks, 59 BBs), 1B Cody Bellinger (.267, 39, 97), LF Curtis Granderson (.212, 26, 64, .323 OBP with Mets and Dodgers; .161, 7, 12, .288 OBP in 36 games with Dodgers), 2B Logan Forsythe (.224, 6, 36) or Chase Utley (.236, 8, 34), C Yasmani Grandal (.247, 22, 58), RF Yasiel Puig (.263, 28, 74, 15 SBs).

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Starting Pitchers:

Diamondbacks: RH Taijuan Walker (9-9, 3.49), LH Robbie Ray (15-5, 2.89, 218 Ks, 162 IP in 28 starts), RH Zack Greinke (17-7, 3.20, 215 Ks in 202 1/3 IP), LH Patrick Corbin (14-13, 4.03 ERA, 189 2/3 IP in 33 games, 32 starts) or RH Zack Godley (8-9, 3.37, 165 Ks, 155 IP in 26 games, 25 starts).

Dodgers: LH Clayton Kershaw (18-4, 2.31, 202 Ks, 30 BBs, 23 HRs allowed in 27 starts, 175 IP), LH Rich Hill (12-8, 3.32, 166 Ks in 25 starts, 135 2/3 IP), RH Yu Darvish (10-12, 3.86, 209 Ks, 27 HRs allowed in 31 starts with Rangers and Dodgers), LH Alex Wood (16-3, 2.72 in 27 games, 25 starts).

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Relievers:

Diamondbacks: RH Fernando Rodney (5-4, 4.23, 39/45 saves, .200 opponents' batting average), RH Archie Bradley (3-3, 1.73, 79 Ks in 73 IP), LH Andrew Chafin (1-0, 3.51, 61 Ks, 51 1/3 IP in 71 games), RH David Hernandez (2-1, 4.82), LH Jorge De La Rosa (3-1, 4.21 in 65 games), RH Jimmie Sherfy (2-0, 0.00, 1 save in 10 2/3 IP).

Dodgers: RH Kenley Jansen (5-0, 1.32, 41/42 saves, tied for NL lead), RH Josh Fields (5-0, 2.84, 2 saves), LH Tony Cingrani (0-0, 4.22, 52 Ks, 12 BBs, 42 2/3 IP in 47 games with Reds and Dodgers; 2.79 in 22 games with Dodgers), RH Brandon Morrow (6-0, 2.06, 2 saves), LH Tony Watson (7-4, 3.38, 10 saves in 71 games with Pirates and Dodgers; 2-1, 2.70 in 24 games with Dodgers), RH Pedro Baez (3-6, 2.95), RH Ross Stripling (3-5, 3.75, 2 saves), RH Walker Buehler (1-0, 7.71, 12 Ks, 8 BBs in 9 1/3 IP) or RH Kenta Maeda (13-6, 4.22, 1 save in 29 games, 25 starts) or LH Hyun-Jin Ryu (5-9, 3.77, 1 save in 25 games, 24 starts) or RH Brandon McCarthy (6-4, 3.98 in 19 games, 16 starts).

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Matchups:

The wild-card Diamondbacks won the last six meetings of the regular season. Arizona and Colorado were the only teams to have a winning record against the Dodgers this year. ... Greinke pitched for the Dodgers from 2013-15 and went 19-3 with a 1.66 ERA during his final season with the team, finishing second in NL Cy Young Award voting. He left for a $206.5 million, six-year contract with the Diamondbacks before the 2016 season. The four-time All-Star was 1-2 with a 3.65 ERA against Los Angeles this year. ... Ray could be a big factor in this series. He dominated the Dodgers during the regular season, going 3-0 in five starts with a 2.27 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings. He even went 5 for 12 (.417) at the plate with two RBIs. But he threw 34 pitches over 2 1/3 innings in relief after Greinke faltered during the wild-card win over Colorado, so the left-hander probably won't be available until Game 2 at the earliest - on two days' rest. If he starts that one, he could pitch a decisive Game 5 on full rest. ... Walker was 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA vs. Los Angeles this season. He allowed only one home run in three starts. Corbin went 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA in two starts. Rodney had seven saves but an 8.64 ERA in 10 appearances. Bradley compiled a 1.42 ERA in 10 outings. ... Martinez had five homers, eight RBIs and a whopping .824 slugging percentage and 1.208 OPS in nine games against the Dodgers. Goldschmidt had four homers, 13 RBIs and a .959 OPS in 16 games. Lamb had six homers, 14 RBIs and a .938 OPS. Iannetta totaled four homers, eight RBIs and a 1.111 OPS. ... Taylor batted .346 with three homers and a .989 OPS against Arizona this year. Grandal hit .340 with a .940 OPS and seven RBIs. Turner was at .304 with three homers, nine RBIs and a .958 OPS. Seager batted .300, but Puig struggled at .214 in 18 games. He did have two homers and 10 RBIs. ... Arizona pitching held Bellinger to a .179 batting average in 11 games, with one homer and two RBIs. Utley was 1 for 24 vs. the Diamondbacks this year. ... Kershaw won both his starts against Arizona this season, compiling a 0.59 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings. Wood was 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA in four games, three starts. Hill went 0-3 with a 5.03 ERA in four starts. Maeda was 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA in five starts. Jansen had five saves and 10 Ks in six appearances covering six innings. ... First-year Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said he thinks the Dodgers intimidated opponents during their 56-11 tear this season, but his team enjoys the challenge of playing them.

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Big Picture:

Diamondbacks: Arizona (93-69) flipped its record after going 69-93 last year. Lovullo preached communication from the first day of spring training and repeatedly uses the word ''love'' to describe team chemistry. New general manager Mike Hazen chose not to overhaul the roster, saying he saw enough talent. Instead, he tinkered around the edges. ... Arizona got off to a 6-1 start and was 44-26 on June 18 after a seven-game winning streak. Although the Diamondbacks couldn't keep up with the torrid pace set by Los Angeles in the NL West, they were in the playoff picture throughout. A franchise-record 13-game winning streak late in the season helped secure the No. 1 wild card. ... Arizona built an early 6-0 lead for Greinke in the wild-card game against Colorado, but he fizzled quickly in the fourth inning and the Diamondbacks had to hold on late for an 11-8 victory. They got a huge hit from an unlikely source in Bradley, who drove home two runs in the seventh with the first triple by a relief pitcher in postseason history. That was one of four three-baggers for the Diamondbacks, including two by Marte. ... While the lineup was expected to be good this season, Arizona also got strong pitching. Only the Indians and Dodgers had a better ERA than the Diamondbacks (3.66). ... Goldschmidt led the offense most of the year but faded in September. That didn't matter much because of the powerhouse performance by Martinez. Acquired from Detroit on July 18 for three minor leaguers, Martinez hit .302 with 29 homers and 65 RBIs in 62 games with the Diamondbacks. He was NL player of the month for September, when he batted .404 with 26 runs, eight doubles, 16 homers and 36 RBIs in 24 games. ... Goldschmidt ended the season in an 0-for-17 slump and batted .171 over the final month, but launched a three-run homer on the first pitch he saw in the wild-card game. ... Greinke is scheduled to start Game 3 at home, where he went 13-1 with a 2.87 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 116 innings during the regular season.

Dodgers: After beginning the year with big expectations and a major league-high $226 million payroll, the Dodgers went on a 56-11 tear in the middle of the season to leave the rest of their division in the dust. Then they lost 11 in a row, the team's worst skid since moving West in 1958, and 16 of 17 overall. They finally regrouped in September after a 5-20 stretch and won their fifth straight NL West title by 11 games over Arizona. Los Angeles (104-58) finished with the best record in the majors, one win shy of the franchise mark set in 1953 back in Brooklyn. Now, the pressure is on. With home-field advantage throughout the postseason, Dodgers are trying to reach the World Series for the first time since their most recent championship in 1988. Anything short of that would be a major disappointment. ... Dodgers have been eliminated twice in the Division Series and twice in the NL Championship Series over the past four years. ... Los Angeles went 57-24 at Dodger Stadium, five more wins than any other team had at home. ... The roster is relatively healthy and the team's big lead in the division allowed manager Dave Roberts to rest players down the stretch. ... Kershaw missed time with a back injury for the second straight year and wasn't quite the same afterward. He went 15-2 with a 2.04 ERA to begin the season but 3-2 with a 3.48 ERA in six starts after returning from a lower back strain. ... Hill has a 2.77 ERA at home and is slated to start Game 2 there. ... Bellinger made his debut April 25 and ended up leading the team in homers, RBIs and runs (87). He went deep every 12.3 at-bats, set an NL rookie record for home runs and finished second in the league to Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton (59). Bellinger batted .250 with five homers in September, ending the season in a 9-for-48 slide. ... Seager slumped to .179 in September but went 3 for 3 with a double in the regular-season finale against Colorado. ... Longtime slugger Adrian Gonzalez, shut down with a bad back, will travel with the team and try to help off the field.

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Watch For:

- One Shining Moment. Despite pitching only 175 innings, Kershaw tied for the major league lead in wins this season and won his fifth NL ERA title. Though he's had some successful playoff performances over the past two years, what's missing from his resume is an October to remember. The three-time Cy Young Award winner and 2014 NL MVP is 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA in the postseason.

- Surging Center Fielder. Pollock came on strong at the end of the season after a subpar year at the plate. He batted .363 in September and delivered a two-run triple in the eighth inning of the wild-card game to help Arizona put away Colorado.

- Get Grandy Going. A savvy and disciplined hitter with power, Granderson batted only .183 in September and .212 overall this season with the Mets and Dodgers. He was acquired Aug. 18 for his experienced left-handed bat in the outfield. But the Dodgers are looking for the Granderson who hit .389 to help the Mets eliminate the Dodgers in 2015 NLDS.

[StarDust Bum]

D-backs pick Walker to go Game 1 vs. L.A.
October 5, 2017

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced Thursday that Taijuan Walker will be their starting pitcher in Friday's Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Robbie Ray was expected to get the start after Zack Greinke was Arizona's starter in the wild-card game on Wednesday. But when Greinke failed to get through four innings, Ray was forced into service and pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up two hits and one run.

That made it difficult for Ray to come back just two days later, so Arizona manager Torey Lovullo is going with Walker against the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw at Dodger Stadium.

Walker went 9-9 with a 3.49 ERA during the regular season, and he was 0-2 in his last four starts, giving up 12 runs (10 earned) in 18 2/3 innings in that stretch. However, he had success against the Dodgers this season, going 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA in three starts against Los Angeles.

The Diamondbacks have not named a starter for Game 2, while the Dodgers will go with Rich Hill in that game.

The Arizona Republic reported that Ray claimed to be ready to pitch Game 2, if needed.


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West rivals clash as NLDS begins in L.A.
October 5, 2017

LOS ANGELES (AP) When the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the first of their five consecutive NL West titles in Phoenix four years ago, they infamously celebrated by jumping into the Chase Field pool, angering a few Arizona Diamondbacks and their fans.

According to Paul Goldschmidt, anybody looking for long-simmering hard feelings from that drama in the teams' upcoming NL division series is all wet.

''I don't think anyone cared then, and nobody cares now,'' the Diamondbacks' veteran first baseman said Thursday at Dodger Stadium. ''When you win, you get to celebrate, and that's awesome. That was my feeling back then. Those guys beat us. They won the division. Now they've done it five years in a row.''

Indeed, that pool party is a puddle in distant memory for the current players in this division rivalry, which finally gets an October chapter in Game 1 on Friday night. Arizona spent most of the season pursuing the Dodgers in the NL West standings, meeting 19 times and forging a mutual respect that outweighs any enmity.

The Diamondbacks did a little celebrating of their own Wednesday after their incredible 11-8 victory over Colorado in the wild-card game. Both teams agree Arizona heads into this best-of-five series with more momentum than the 104-win Dodgers, who finished with the best record in baseball even after meandering through a late 1-16 skid.

Before Clayton Kershaw takes the mound against Taijuan Walker in Game 1, the Dodgers intend to make sure everybody knows these regular-season achievements are meaningless for a team that still hasn't reached the World Series since 1988.

''I feel like winning the NL West five years in a row leads to complacency, especially for this team, for this organization, even for the fans,'' said Andre Ethier, an outfielder on seven previous Dodgers playoff teams since 2006. ''You really haven't achieved anything. It doesn't matter how many games you win. It's getting to the playoffs and winning the World Series.

''For the organization, it's about changing that frame of mind coming in,'' Ethier added. ''There's no banners hanging out there saying that we're the NL West champions five years in a row. The only banners you see out there are World Series championships. So a 104-win season, 90-win seasons, they don't mean nothing unless you're winning. No one is going to remember in five years if this team won 104 (games) if we don't win the World Series.''

Here are more things to know about these clubs' first postseason meeting:

KERSH AGAIN: Kershaw gets another chance to fashion a signature postseason performance when he takes the mound for the opener. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA in 18 career postseason games, but the left-hander went 2-1 last year and pitched memorably in relief while the Dodgers reached the NLCS. Manager Dave Roberts has repeatedly said doesn't intend to use Kershaw in relief during this October, but Kershaw knows nothing is certain in the postseason.

''Every year is unique, but I'm thankful for another opportunity,'' Kershaw said. ''It doesn't happen often when your team wins five (division titles) in a row and you get to go to the playoffs.''

ONE LEG UP: The Diamondbacks were one of just two teams to win their season series with mighty Los Angeles, going 11-8 - including wins in the final six meetings during the Dodgers' late-season slump. Nobody in either clubhouse ascribes much significance to those numbers, but the Diamondbacks aren't awed by the Dodgers' resourceful lineup or their occasionally dominant pitching staff.

''There's familiarity, but I think there's hopefully a lot of respect,'' Goldschmidt said. ''I know we respect them.''

BIG BATS: Rookie slugger Cody Bellinger will make his postseason debut for the Dodgers after setting an NL record with 39 homers in a remarkable regular season. Bellinger grew up in the Phoenix area, and he batted a measly 7 for 39 with one homer against the Diamondbacks this season. Los Angeles doesn't depend on one hitter, but consistency from their precocious cleanup hitter would be huge.

Goldschmidt remains the Diamondbacks' best bat with a 120-RBI season, but David Peralta and Jake Lamb have made solid contributions to a lineup that scored 42 more runs than the Dodgers during the regular season.

ZACK'S BACK: Diamondbacks ace Zack Greinke likely won't pitch against his former team until Game 3 in Phoenix after starting the wild-card game. Greinke left the Dodgers two years ago for a six-year, $206.5 million deal in Arizona. He won 51 games in three seasons with Los Angeles and pitched in three postseasons, going 2-2 in six starts.

LOCAL GUYS: Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo is a Los Angeles-area native, and Game 1 starter Taijuan Walker grew up in LA's far-flung suburbs. Walker was a late choice for the start after Robbie Ray was forced to pitch in relief of Greinke against the Rockies. Walker called it the biggest start of his life, and he plans to get tickets for his mother, wife, brothers and sister. ''Everyone else is kind of on their own,'' Walker said with a laugh.

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MLB notebook: Nationals to start Strasburg in Game 1
October 5, 2017

Washington Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg will start Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the visiting Chicago Cubs, manager Dusty Baker announced on Thursday.

Baker did not divulge his starting pitchers for Games 2 and 3 of the series, with respect to the status of Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA) as he deals with a hamstring injury. However, multiple media outlets reported that Scherzer is scheduled to pitch Game 3.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner threw on flat ground in the outfield for almost 15 minutes on Wednesday and is expected to have a bullpen session later on Thursday.

If Scherzer is penciled in for Game 3, that would mean left-hander Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96 ERA) would be the starter for Game 2.

Strasburg (15-4, 2.52 ERA) will oppose right-hander Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03 ERA) in Game 1 on Friday.

--San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy will undergo a procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat next week in San Diego.

Bochy emphasized that the procedure -- called an ablation -- will not prevent him from fulfilling the final two seasons of his contract with the Giants.

--Boston Red Sox designated hitter Eduardo Nunez left Game 1 in the American League Division Series in the first inning because of a knee injury.

Nunez, who played in just one game since Sept. 9 while dealing with an injury to the same knee, failed to make it to first base and was carried off the field by a Red Sox trainer and Boston manager John Farrell.

His status for the remainder of the series is to be determined.

--Major League Baseball is investigating the potential use of a smartwatch by Arizona Diamondbacks coach/translator Ariel Prieto during Wednesday's National League wild-card game against the Colorado Rockies, according to the New York Post.

Wearing a smartwatch violates baseball's rules regarding the use of electronic devices.

Prieto told AZSports that he made a mistake by wearing his Apple Watch in the dugout during Wednesday's game, but his reasoning for doing so dealt with routine rather than use.

Prieto was seen in the dugout wearing a watch similar to ones worn by Boston Red Sox personnel in August. Major League Baseball revealed last month that the Red Sox had used the watches to steal signs from New York Yankees catchers during games between the rivals this season.

--Brian Snitker will return as the Atlanta Braves manager next season after the team announced that it exercised its 2018 contract option on Snitker.

Snitker was tabbed as interim manager in May 2016 before being named manager on Oct. 11, 2016. The Braves finished 72-90 this season.

--Former reliever Joba Chamberlain told the New York Post that he is retired.

When asked by the newspaper if he was interested in extending his professional baseball career, Chamberlain said he had another important task ahead of him.

"No, it's time to be a dad," the 32-year-old said.

Chamberlain was invited to spring training with the Milwaukee Brewers this year, but was released before the team began the season.


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Vegas ties highlight Cubs-Nats NLDS
October 5, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant - childhood pals in Las Vegas and the past two NL MVPs - chatted and shared a laugh between their teams' workouts Thursday ahead of the NL Division Series between the Nationals and the Cubs.

Harper was wearing a black hoodie with a hashtag symbol and ''Vegas Strong'' across the chest, a reference to the mass shooting during a country music festival in their hometown that left 58 people dead and nearly 500 injured.

''It's been pretty surreal. Just from talking to friends, talking to family that were definitely at the concert and seeing the things that have happened and transpired from that, it just goes to show how strong our community is in Vegas, how much of a small-knit community it can be,'' said Washington's Harper, who won his MVP award in 2015. ''Everybody pulling together and providing - and if anybody needs any help, everybody's pulling on the same rope, trying to help anybody they can.''

Bryant said his ''soon-to-be sister-in-law was there, and running right in the crowd'' at last Sunday's attack. Friends of his were there, too, Bryant said.

He and Harper were both born and raised in Las Vegas.

''This is what you live for,'' Bryant said. ''To compete against your buddies on a stage like this.''

As for going from tournament teammates as kids to playoff foes in the majors, Harper said: ''I don't think we ever really thought about that. We were just having fun and enjoying our team.''

The 25-year-old Bryant, who is about 9 months older than Harper, recalled some of their earliest encounters in baseball and chuckled while acknowledging: ''He was always better than me.''

''He was a freak of nature,'' said Bryant, the 2016 MVP and a World Series champion with Chicago. ''I can't even explain how, like, intimidated I was to watch him just hit in the batting cage. The sound coming off his bat was something you never hear.''

This was at what age?

''7,'' Bryant said with a smile.

He also remembers seeing Harper pitch later on.

''He would be throwing way harder than anybody I've ever seen. So it was more of the fear factor of, `My gosh, if he hits me, I'm going to be crying for a week.' That type of thing. Just kind of a larger-than-life 12-year-old out there that was just so good at baseball, you knew he was bound for where he's at now.''

[StarDust Bum]

NLDS Preview
October 5, 2017

If you look at the National League Pennant odds, it’s pretty clear that the race is insanely tight. The Dodgers lead the market at +150, but part of that is their insane public backing. The other part is that they ended the year with the best record in baseball. Here’s how they stack up against the rest of the playoff contenders.

ODDS TO WIN NATIONAL LEAGUE presented by BetOnline.ag
Los Angeles Dodgers 3/2
Washington Nationals 3/1
Chicago Cubs 3/1
Arizona Diamondbacks 4/1

Going up against the Diamondbacks isn’t that much of a cake walk by any measure, especially considering that the rabidly hot start of the Dodgers cooled off immensely when they gave up 16 losses in 17 games. A lot of that was because the Diamondbacks kept beating them up. Los Angeles corrected themselves late in the year with an 8-2 SU stretch to finish the year.

It’s not important to waste your time waxing poetic about the Dodgers. They were pretty much the best team in baseball all year long regardless of that worrisome skid through August. The big problem is that Arizona has given them a handful this year, and former pitcher Zack Greinke is waiting in the wings to torment them later on in the series after pitching in the Wild Card play-in game.

The Diamondbacks racked up an 11-8 SU record against the Dodgers this season, and starting pitcher Robbie Ray ravaged the Dodgers with an obnoxious 53 strikeouts in 31.2 innings. Taijuan Walker and Zack Godley round out a rotation that allowed 231 fewer runs than the team did in 2016. This unit combines for an 18.3 WAR and has to be playing at its absolute peak to worm their way past the Dodgers.

It’s not impossible, but the big problem for Arizona will be generating runs. The Diamondback s actually averaged 5.01 runs per game this year, which ranked 8th, but are now in a dogfight against one of the best fielding teams in the playoffs. There’s no doubt that it’ll be tough sledding.

However, the Diamondbacks have outstanding pitching and are already in the heads of their opponents. The Arizona Diamondbacks absolutely worth backing in the upset. Between the in-fighting in Los Angeles, and the mounting pressure from the media, the Dodgers are primed for a bad upset here. Their record notwithstanding, the actual matchup with Arizona is a bad one for them in particular.

Again, the x-factor here is Greinke who seems like the kind of vengeful prick to have his best performance against his former team just because he feels like it. Greinke went 1-2 SU in 4 starts against the Dodgers this year, surrendering a 3.65 ERA over 24.2 innings. He averaged .247 against his former team, but if he’s able to muster up the game of his life when he takes to the mound in this series, he could very well turn the tide.

Elsewhere in the National League, we have the toss-up between the Nationals and the Cubs. As almost always, the Nationals come in after laying waste to one of the worst divisions in the sport with high expectations, a gangbusting roster and tons of superstars. Since rising to the top of their division back in 2012, the Nationals have always, hilariously flamed out in the first round like clockwork.

The Chicago Cubs aren’t nearly as dominant as they were at this point last year, especially at the stripe where their ERA ballooned from 2.96 in 2016 to 4.05 in 2017. But the Cubs excel where the Nationals don’t – runs. Lots and lots of runs. No team scored more in the second half of the season than the Chicago Cubs. They vexed their curse last year, but the Nationals have yet to prove that they’re worth anything than a regular-season game bet.

Take the Cubs at +115 over the Nationals, who are getting a -135 series price because the oddsmakers are always fearful of them breaking out in the playoffs. If it hasn’t happened yet, it’s not happening.

There aren’t many assurances in the playoffs but the Dodgers and Nationals falling short of the World Series is usually amongst them. The brave and bold will be willing to bet on that happening early in the playoffs.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Friday, October 6

Chicago Cubs @ Washington

Game 981-982
October 6, 2017 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago Cubs
(Hendrcks) 14.546
Washington
(Strsburg) 16.316
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-165
7
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-165); Over

Arizona @ LA Dodgers

Game 983-984
October 6, 2017 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona
(Walker) 17.403
LA Dodgers
(Kershaw) 15.950
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona
by 1 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Dodgers
-270
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
(+230); Over

Boston @ Houston

Game 985-986
October 6, 2017 @ 2:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
(Pmeranz) 18.388
Houston
(Keuchel) 16.431
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
-170
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(+150); Under

NY Yankees @ Cleveland

Game 987-988
October 6, 2017 @ 5:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Yankees
(Sabathia) 16.107
Cleveland
(Kluber) 18.074
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
N/A




MLB
Long Sheet

Friday, October 6

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO CUBS (92 - 70) at WASHINGTON (97 - 65) - 7:30 PM
KYLE HENDRICKS (R) vs. STEPHEN STRASBURG (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 92-70 (-11.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 71-56 (-14.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 31-32 (-10.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
WASHINGTON is 70-36 (+21.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
STRASBURG is 22-6 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
STRASBURG is 24-4 (+15.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
STRASBURG is 16-3 (+11.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CHICAGO CUBS are 185-110 (+37.4 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 183-162 (-54.0 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -175 since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 4-3 (+1.8 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.6 Units)

KYLE HENDRICKS vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
HENDRICKS is 2-2 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.67 and a WHIP of 1.088.
His team's record is 3-2 (+0.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-1. (+3.0 units)

STEPHEN STRASBURG vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
STRASBURG is 1-1 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 2.08 and a WHIP of 0.981.
His team's record is 4-1 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-4. (-3.8 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ARIZONA (94 - 69) at LA DODGERS (104 - 58) - 10:35 PM
TAIJUAN WALKER (R) vs. CLAYTON KERSHAW (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 34-110 (-44.4 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +175 to +250 since 1997.
LA DODGERS are 72-32 (+22.5 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
KERSHAW is 43-9 (+21.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KERSHAW is 25-4 (+16.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ARIZONA is 94-69 (+17.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 46-31 (+12.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
ARIZONA is 66-48 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ARIZONA is 57-36 (+16.7 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
ARIZONA is 36-29 (+9.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LA DODGERS are 41-35 (-18.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
LA DODGERS are 141-104 (-17.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 14-15 (-11.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 11-8 (+6.2 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
10 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.1 Units)

TAIJUAN WALKER vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
WALKER is 2-1 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 4.79 and a WHIP of 1.451.
His team's record is 3-1 (+3.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.2 units)

CLAYTON KERSHAW vs. ARIZONA since 1997
KERSHAW is 14-8 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 2.55 and a WHIP of 1.119.
His team's record is 15-11 (-1.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 15-10. (+3.8 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BOSTON (93 - 70) at HOUSTON (102 - 61) - 2:05 PM
DREW POMERANZ (L) vs. DALLAS KEUCHEL (L)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 0-11 (-11.8 Units) against the money line in October games over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 102-61 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
POMERANZ is 22-10 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
POMERANZ is 9-1 (+8.5 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
POMERANZ is 13-3 (+10.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season. (Team's Record)
HOUSTON is 22-24 (-12.6 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
HOUSTON is 49-43 (-15.6 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 33-39 (-18.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 16-23 (-13.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 5-3 (+1.4 Units) against BOSTON this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.6 Units)

DREW POMERANZ vs. HOUSTON since 1997
POMERANZ is 1-2 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 4.24 and a WHIP of 1.383.
His team's record is 4-3 (+0.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-3. (-0.4 units)

DALLAS KEUCHEL vs. BOSTON since 1997
KEUCHEL is 0-1 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 7.62 and a WHIP of 1.692.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.0 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NY YANKEES (92 - 72) at CLEVELAND (103 - 60) - 5:05 PM
C.C. SABATHIA (L) vs. COREY KLUBER (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 6-2 (+4.2 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.7 Units)

C.C. SABATHIA vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
SABATHIA is 4-3 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 3.65 and a WHIP of 1.406.
His team's record is 5-6 (-5.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-5. (+0.5 units)

COREY KLUBER vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
KLUBER is 5-1 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 1.98 and a WHIP of 0.800.
His team's record is 5-2 (+3.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-4. (-1.4 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, October 6

Boston @ Houston
Astros are 5-3 vs Boston this season; road team won five of the eight games.

Pomeranz is 3-1, 2.08 in his last five starts; over is 12-8-2 in his last 22 starts. Boston is 7-5 in his road starts. He is 1-0, 1.46 in two starts vs Houston this season.

Keuchel is 2-1, 2.50 in his last three starts; over is 5-2 in his last seven. Astros are 5-4 in his home starts; he didn’t pitch against Boston this season.

Red Sox are in playoffs for 3rd time in last five years; they got swept 3-0 by Cleveland in this round last year. Houston is in playoffs for second time in three years; they’ve never won the World Series, losing 4-0 to the White Sox in 2005.

New York @ Cleveland
New York is 2-6 vs Cleveland this season; road teams won five of the eight games. Losing team scored 1 or 2 runs in seven of the eight games.

Sabathia is 3-0, 2.55 in his last three starts under is 9-4 in his last 13 starts. New York is 8-5 in his road starts; he didn’t pitch against Cleveland this year.

Kluber is 6-0, 1.41 in his last seven starts; his last four starts stayed under. Cleveland is 9-5 in his home starts; he is 2-0, 1.59 against New York this year.

New York is in the playoffs for second time in the last five years; they last made the ALCS in 2012- they beat Twins 7-4 in Wild Card game Tuesday, with bullpen getting 26 of the 27 outs.

Indians lost Game 7 of the World Series last year; they haven’t won a World Series since 1948. They’re in playoffs for 3rd time in last five years.

Chicago @ Washington
Washington was 4-3 against the Cubs this season (over 5-2).

Hendricks is 3-1, 2.20 in his last seven starts; his last six starts stayed under. He is 0-1, 3.86 vs Washington this year. Cubs are 5-6 in his road starts.

Strasburg is 5-0, 0.86 in his last six starts; under is 8-1-1 in his last ten starts. Washington is 9-4 in his home starts. He allowed three runs in seven IP in his only ’17 start against the Cubs.

Cubs won the World Series LY, their first title since 1908; this is their 3rd year in a row in the playoffs. Washington is in the playoffs for 4th time in six years- they lost in this round the previous three times. Nationals have never been in the World Series.

Arizona @ Los Angeles
Arizona won its last six games with the Dodgers; they’re 11-8 vs LA this season, 4-5 in Chavez Ravine. Over is 10-9 in those games this season.

Walker is 0-2, 6.41 in his last four starts; over is 6-4 in his last ten starts. Arizona is 3-6 in his last nine road starts. Walker is 2-0, 3.24 in three starts against the Dodgers this year.

Kershaw is 2-2, 4.55 in his last five starts; he is 4-7, 3.64 in 14 career playoff starts. Dodgers are 10-2 in his road starts. His last four starts stayed under the total. Kershaw is 2-0, 0.59 against Arizona this season.

Dodgers haven’t been to the World Series since 1988; this is their 5th year in a row in playoffs. Arizona won the Wild Card game 11-8 Wednesday; this is the first time they’re in the playoffs since 2011.

AL Wild Card
NYY 8-4 Minn -$255, O7.5

NL Wild Card
Ariz 11-8 Colo -$148, O8.5

Divisional series
Hous 8-2 Bos, -$120, O7

Clev 4-0 NYY $130, U8.5




MLB

Friday, October 6

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2:05 PM
BOSTON vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Boston's last 16 games on the road
Boston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Houston's last 8 games at home
Houston is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games at home

5:08 PM
NY YANKEES vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 7 games on the road
NY Yankees are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 6 games
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing NY Yankees

7:31 PM
CHI CUBS vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Chi Cubs's last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chi Cubs's last 8 games on the road
Washington is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Washington's last 9 games

10:31 PM
ARIZONA vs. LA DODGERS
Arizona is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Arizona is 6-12 SU in their last 18 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LA Dodgers's last 8 games when playing at home against Arizona
LA Dodgers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's MLB Division Series Betting Preview and Odds

Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros (-160, 8.5)

Astros lead series 1-0

Jose Altuve looks for another memorable performance as his Houston Astros vie for a 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series on Friday afternoon against the visiting Boston Red Sox. Altuve, the AL batting champion three of the last four years, including 2017, launched three solo homers in the series opener on Thursday as the Astros posted an 8-2 victory after taking three of four at Boston to end the regular season.

Altuve went 10-for-24 with one blast against the Red Sox in the regular season on the way to a career-high .346 overall batting average, a .410 on-base percentage, 24 homers and 81 RBIs. Altuve is 7-for-17 with a double and a walk versus Boston’s scheduled starter Drew Pomeranz, who finished the regular season strong and will face 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel on Friday. Slugger Hanley Ramirez recorded a pair of hits in the opener after coming on when Eduardo Nunez suffered a knee injury, while Mookie Betts and Sandy Leon also notched two hits apiece as the Red Sox lost their fourth consecutive postseason contest after being swept by Cleveland in the last year's ALDS. Boston will need more from Dustin Pedroia, who went 0-for-3 with a walk on Thursday and was 3-for-36 to end the regular season while hampered by a lingering knee injury.

TV: 2:05 p.m. ET, FS1

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Drew Pomeranz (17-6, 3.32 ERA) vs. Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (14-5, 2.90)

Pomeranz won three of his last four decisions during the regular season and gave up fewer than two runs in three of his final four appearances. The 28-year-old went 7-3 with a 3.19 ERA on the road this year and 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two starts against the Astros. Carlos Correa (3-for-5) and Jake Marisnick (4-for-12, two homers) have caused plenty of trouble for Pomeranz, who is 2-2 with a 3.69 ERA in 12 career games (seven starts) versus Houston.

Keuchel finished the regular season strong, limiting his final three opponents and seven of the last nine to fewer than three earned runs. The 29-year-old Tulsa native is 36-20 all-time at Minute Maid Park, including 6-2 with a 1.64 ERA this year, and went 2-0 there in the 2015 postseason. Ramirez is 2-for-2 while Betts and Xander Bogaerts each have homered versus Keuchel, who is 0-1 with a 9.88 ERA in three career appearances (two starts) against Boston.

TRENDS:

* Red Sox are 17-4 in Pomeranz's last 21 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
* Astros are 12-2 in their last 14 home games.
* Over is 11-2 in Astros' last 132 Divisional Playoff games.
* Under is 13-3 in Hernandez's last 16 games behind home plate.

CONSENSUS: The public is leaning toward the home favorite Astros with 65 percent of the picks and Over is grabbing 56 percent of the totals wagers.


New York Yankees at Cleveland Indians (-220, 7)

Indians lead series 1-0

The current ace of the Cleveland Indians faces a former one in Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Friday as Corey Kluber gets the start opposite CC Sabathia and the visiting New York Yankees. Kluber, a prime candidate to pick up his second career AL Cy Young Award after leading the majors in ERA, will be eager to attack a Yankees lineup that was limited to three hits in Cleveland's series-opening 4-0 victory on Thursday.

Slugger Aaron Judge was 0-for-4 with four of New York's 14 strikeouts, while fellow right fielder Jay Bruce homered and drove in three of the Indians' four runs. Cleveland managed only five hits of its own but wore out Yankees right-hander Sonny Gray, who walked four and gave up three runs over 3 1/3 innings in the second straight poor start by a New York pitcher this postseason. Kluber was dominant in the playoffs a year ago, going 4-1 with a 1.83 ERA in six starts - including seven scoreless innings against Boston in his lone ALDS outing. Sabathia, who is 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA in 10 starts following a loss this year, registered 106 wins and claimed a Cy Young Award during his eight years with the Indians.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, MLB Network

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (14-5, 3.69 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (18-4, 2.25)

Sabathia posted his best win total since 2013 and his lowest ERA since 2012 in a solid campaign that ended with victories in each of his final three starts. The 37-year-old will be making his first postseason appearance since giving up six runs and 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings of Game 4 of the 2012 AL Championship Series. Carlos Santana (10-for-19), Francisco Lindor (5-for-9) and Jose Ramirez (4-for-8) have enjoyed their encounters with Sabathia, who last faced the Indians on Aug. 6, 2016.

Kluber also led or tied for the lead in the AL in wins, complete games (five) and shutouts (three) while finishing the regular season by going 6-0 in his final seven starts. That run began with eight dominant innings at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 28, a performance that came less than four weeks after he registered 11 strikeouts in a complete-game home victory over New York. Several Yankees have dismal numbers against Kluber, including Todd Frazier (3-for-26, 10 strikeouts), Aaron Hicks (3-for-23, eight), Chase Headley (1-for-14), Didi Gregorius (2-for-13) and Starlin Castro (2-for-12).

TRENDS:

* Yankees are 0-4 in their last 4 playoff road games.
* Indians are 5-0 in Klubers last 5 starts vs. Yankees.
* Under is 5-0 in Yankees last 5 Divisional Playoff games.
* Under is 5-1 in Indians last 6 overall.


Chicago Cubs at Washington Nationals (-160, 7)

Series tied 0-0

The man who took the ball to start the Chicago Cubs’ World Series clincher gets it again Friday. The Cubs send Kyle Hendricks to the mound opposite fellow right-hander Stephen Strasburg when visiting Chicago begins its quest for another crown in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals.

The Cubs are trying to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000, and only one team since then - the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies - have returned to the World Series the year after winning. "There was maybe a little more pressure last year because you feel the weight of 108 years on your shoulders,” Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant told reporters. “This year, it's not like it's different, we're here for one reason - we want to win the whole thing. Regardless if we won it last year or 108 years ago, it doesn't matter to us." Now it’s the Nationals who are trying to get over the hump after being knocked out in the NLDS three times in the past five seasons. The franchise has not won a postseason series since it was in Montreal in 1981.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52)

Hendricks struggled early in the season, but he has posted an NL-best 2.19 ERA since returning from a hand injury July 24. The 27-year-old has allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of his 13 starts over that stretch, but he gave up three runs over seven innings in a loss to Washington on Aug. 4. Hendricks is 1-1 with a 2.38 ERA in seven postseason starts.

Strasburg was dominant in 10 starts after the All-Star break, going 6-1 with a 0.86 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 62 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old allowed more than one run only twice over that span, and he hasn’t lost since Aug. 19. Strasburg has made only one postseason start - in the 2014 NLDS against San Francisco - and allowed two runs (one earned) over five innings in a tough-luck loss.

TRENDS:

* Cubs are 23-5 in their last 28 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
* Nationals are 45-11 in Strasburg's last 56 starts.
* Under is 9-1 in Hendricks' last 10 road starts.
* Under is 20-3-4 in Nationals' last 27 during game 1 of a series.

CONSENSUS: The public is leaning toward the home favorite Nationals with 57 percent of the picks and Over is grabbing a 71 percent of the totals wagers.

Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers (-250, 7.5)

Series tied 0-0

Clayton Kershaw is one of the greatest pitchers of his era but postseason success has often eluded the Los Angeles Dodgers' ace left-hander. Kershaw looks to improve on his spotty playoff resume when he opens the National League Division Series against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner stands just 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA in 18 career appearances (14 starts) in the postseason and is looking to help propel the team with the best record (104-58) in the majors to its first World Series berth since 1988. "I'm sure every year I feel like we're going to win the World Series. This year is no different," Kershaw told reporters. "We've had a better regular season than I've ever been a part of." Arizona, which defeated the Colorado Rockies 11-8 in Wednesday's NL wild-card game, isn't about to back down from the Dodgers after winning the regular-season series 11-8. "Look, the Dodgers got on a tremendous run there, and I think they were steamrolling teams and intimidating teams, and I don't think we have that mentality," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "We love that battle mindset. We love that challenge."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Taijuan Walker (9-9, 3.49 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (18-4, 2.31)

Walker was named the starter early Thursday evening, an assignment that opened up after All-Star left-hander Robbie Ray was needed to pitch in relief in the wild-card game. The 25-year-old was 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers this season and said he will be aware of his nerves in what is his first career postseason appearance. "I think the biggest thing is controlling your emotions and taking it one pitch at a time," Walker said at a press conference. "I think you can't go out there and let the adrenaline really get to you. You have to take a deep breath every pitch and really focus on each pitch."

Kershaw dominated the Diamondbacks in two starts this season by going 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA and holding batters to a .118 average. The 29-year-old has a long standard of success against Arizona with a solid 2.55 career ERA in 26 career starts while going 14-8 with a 1.12 WHIP. The postseason issues are a concern to the Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts said during Thursday's press conference that it is "set in stone" that Kershaw won't be used on short rest and his next start would be in Game 5, if necessary.

TRENDS:

* Diamondbacks are 8-1 in their last 9 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
* Dodgers are 44-9 in Kershaw's last 53 starts.
* Over is 4-0 in Diamondbacks' last 4 games vs. a left-handed starter.
* Diamondbacks are 6-0 in the last 6 meetings.

CONSENSUS: The public is leaning toward the home favorite Dodgers with 72 percent of the picks and Over is grabbing a 64 percent of the totals wagers.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB Playoff Record:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

10/05/2017 1-3-0 25.00% -10.50

10/04/2017 1-1-0 50.00% -0.50

Total:...............2 - 4.........33.33%.....-11.00


Best Bets:......................ATS.................... ...TOTAL.....................TOTAL O/U

10/05/2017.................0 - 2.......................-10.00........................1 - 1........-0.50

10/04/2017.................1 - 0.......................+ 5.00........................0 - 1.......- 5.50


TOTAL:........................1 - 2.......................- 5.00.........................1 - 1.......- 6.00



FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

BOS at HOU 02:00 PM

HOU -185

O 8.5 *****

NYY at CLE 05:00 PM

O 7.0

CHC at WAS 07:30 PM

CHC +135 *****

O 7.0 *****

ARI at LAD 10:30 PM

ARI +230 *****

O 7.0 *****

[StarDust Bum]

MLB playoff roundup: Indians win wild one vs. Yanks
October 6, 2017

CLEVELAND -- Yan Gomes' single in the bottom of the 13th inning lifted the Cleveland Indians to a wild 9-8 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Friday.

Austin Jackson led off the bottom of the 13th by drawing a walk from Dellin Betances (0-1), and then stealing second base. Gomes then worked the count to 3-2, and hit a hard chopper down the third base line that eluded diving third baseman Ronald Torreyes. The ball rolled down the left field line as Jackson raced home with the winning run.

Josh Tomlin (1-0), the last of eight Cleveland pitchers, pitched two scoreless innings to get the win.

Francisco Lindor hit a grand slam off Chad Green in the sixth and Jay Bruce hit a game-tying homer off David Robertson in the eighth as the Indians rallied from an 8-3 deficit.

Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks and Greg Bird homered for the Yankees before Lindor and Bruce forced extra innings.

Cleveland ace Corey Kluber allowed six runs in 2 2/3 innings. New York's CC Sabathia allowed four runs -- two earned -- 5 1/3 innings.

Astros 8, Red Sox 2

HOUSTON -- Carlos Correa hit a two-run homer in the first inning and a two-run double in the sixth as Houston rolled to a second straight rout of Boston in Game 2 of the ALDS.

Correa was 2-for-4 as the Astros secured a 2-0 series lead with Game 3 set for Fenway Park in Boston on Sunday. Jose Altuve went 2-for-3 with two runs, two walks and an RBI single after hitting three homers in the series opener.

Houston left-hander Dallas Keuchel (1-0) survived a 30-pitch second inning and pitched into the sixth, allowing one run on three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.

Boston's Drew Pomeranz (0-1) allowed four runs on five hits and one walk over two-plus innings.

Cubs 3, Nationals 0

WASHINGTON -- Anthony Rizzo had a pair of two-out RBI hits and Kyle Hendricks pitched seven strong innings as Chicago began defense of its World Series title by blanking Washington in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

Hendricks (1-0) allowed two hits, struck out six while throwing 106 pitches.

Washington's Stephen Strasburg (0-1) held the Cubs hitless for 5 2/3 innings before allowing a pair of unearned runs in the sixth. Strasburg allowed three hits and struck out 10 in seven innings.

Kris Bryant ended Strasburg's no-hit bid with an RBI single that scored Javier Baez, who reached on an error by third baseman Anthony Rendon.

Dodgers 9, Diamondbacks 5

LOS ANGELES -- Justin Turner hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and drove in five runs as Los Angeles beat Arizona in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

Turner finished the night with the home run, two singles, a walk, continuing his prowess that began in 2014. In 19 career playoff games, Turner is hitting .383 (23 for 60) with three homers and 17 RBIs.

A.J. Pollock, J.D. Martinez, Ketel Marte and Jeff Mathis homered off Clayton Kershaw (1-0).

Kershaw allowed four runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. Arizona starter Taijuan Walker (0-1) allowed four runs and four hits in one inning.

[StarDust Bum]

LEADING OFF: NL teams continue series, AL arms get a rest
October 6, 2017

A look at what's happening all around the majors today:

KRYPTONITE

Justin Turner and the major league-best Dodgers try to solve nemesis Robbie Ray (15-5, 2.89 ERA, 218 Ks) and take a 2-0 lead over the Diamondbacks in their NL Division Series. Ray dominated the Dodgers during the regular season, going 3-0 in five starts with a 2.27 ERA and a whopping 53 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings. He even went 5 for 12 (.417) at the plate with two RBIs. But the left-hander threw 34 pitches over 2 1/3 innings in relief Wednesday during Arizona's wild-card win over Colorado, so it will be interesting to see how fresh he looks. Los Angeles counters with lefty Rich Hill (12-8, 3.32), who had a 2.77 ERA at home this year. He was 0-3 with a 5.03 ERA in four starts against the Diamondbacks overall.

ARMS RACE

Kyle Hendricks and the Cubs beat Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg 3-0 in a well-pitched opener Friday night. On deck, it's a matchup of veteran left-handers in Game 2 of their NL Division Series at 5:38 p.m. EDT. Jon Lester (13-8) starts for the defending World Series champions against Gio Gonzalez (15-9) and Washington after two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was pushed back to Game 3 because of a tender hamstring. Gonzalez said he had been preparing to pitch Monday at Wrigley Field until he was told Wednesday to get ready for Game 2. Lester won his final two starts, allowing one run over 11 innings, after compiling an 8.22 ERA in his previous five games. He is 9-7 with a 2.63 ERA in his postseason career.

TAKE A BREAK

Boston's pitchers get a breather after being battered by the Astros in the first two games of their ALDS, and nearly all the arms need a rest in the Yankees-Indians series following Friday's extra-inning showdown. Houston leads its best-of-five matchup 2-0 after a pair of 8-2 wins, including a three-homer outburst from Jose Altuve on Thursday and long balls from Carlos Correa and George Springer on Friday. The Red Sox and Game 3 starter Doug Fister will plot for Houston during a workout at Fenway Park before that series resumes Sunday. New York and Cleveland will get a practice day at Yankee Stadium.

EVALUATING EDWIN

Cleveland is hoping for good news on slugger Edwin Encarnacion, who left Friday's 9-8, 13-inning win over the Yankees with a sprained right ankle. The injury looked bad - Encarnacion rolled in the infield dirt in obvious pain after going awkwardly into second base - but an MRI showed only the sprain. Indians manager Terry Francona said late Friday that Encarnacion is day to day.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB notebook: Las Vegas natives Harper, Bryant step up for victims
October 6, 2017

Baseball stars Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant are on-the-field foes in the National League Division Series but the Las Vegas natives worked together on a public service announcement set to run during Friday's Game 1 between the Washington Nationals and visiting Chicago Cubs.

Harper of the Nationals and Bryant of the Cubs are devastated over the Sunday night shootings that left 58 dead and approximately 500 injured in Las Vegas. So on Thursday, the two former NL MVPs got together to film the PSA in hopes of helping their hometown recover from the devastating tragedy.

"In the NLDS, and the platform we have, the PSA was an easy thing to do," Bryant said. "We wanted to help out in any way we can. People are going to be struggling for a long time -- just as they are after the hurricanes. You see this country coming together. Whatever we can to get people to support, we're ready to do."

Bryant and Harper, who were former youth league baseball teammates in Las Vegas, both said they know people who attended the Route 91 Harvest Festival and escaped with non-life-threatening injuries. The musical festival was held near Mandalay Bay, which is where the shooter was located.

"I was wondering what we can do from afar," Harper said. "It's tough. You want to go down there and help out. ... We just want to get the word out and have people provide even a dollar to whatever organization you want. It all counts."

--Arizona Diamondbacks coach/translator Ariel Prieto did not use his Apple Watch for any "baseball-related communication" during his team's National League wild-card game against the Colorado Rockies, Major League Baseball announced.

Prieto and the Diamondbacks, however, have been fined an undisclosed amount for having the device in the dugout during Wednesday's game, which Arizona won 11-8. The money from the fines will be donated by the Office of the Commissioner to hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico, MLB said in its statement.

Wearing a smartwatch violates baseball's rules regarding the use of electronic devices. MLB said in a statement that its department of investigations "forensically examined" Prieto's watch and revealed no evidence that it was used for "any purpose in the dugout."

Prieto, who is a former big league pitcher, is an extra coach who also serves as interpreter for the Diamondbacks. He told AZSports on Thursday that he made a mistake by wearing his Apple Watch in the dugout.

--Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley could return to the starting lineup for Sunday's Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.

Manager Terry Francona said Brantley will test his injured right ankle in the outfield at Yankee Stadium on Saturday's workout day. A decision likely will be made after the workout. Brantley, a two-time All Star, missed 50 consecutive games due to the injury before being activated from the disabled list last Saturday.

Meanwhile, Indians designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion was removed in the first inning of Game 2 with a right ankle sprain.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB Playoff Record:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

10/06/2017........5-2-0......71.43%.....+16.25

10/05/2017 .......1-3-0 .....25.00%..... -10.50

10/04/2017 .......1-1-0..... 50.00%....... -0.50

Total:.................7 - 6......53.84%........+5.25


Best Bets:......................ATS.................... ...TOTAL.....................TOTAL O/U

10/06/2017.................1 - 1.......................-1.00..........................3 - 1........+9.50

10/05/2017.................0 - 2.......................-10.00........................1 - 1........-1.00

10/04/2017.................1 - 0.......................+ 5.00........................0 - 1.......- 5.50


TOTAL:........................2 - 3.......................- 6.00.........................4 - 3.......+3.00